Ladies of MCU
by gyuumajo
Summary: Short "What if"s about what it'll be like if the ladies of each Phase One movie were the lead instead of their male counterparts.
1. Pepper Potts

Summary: Short "What if"s about what it'll be like if the ladies of each Phase One movie were the lead instead of their male counterparts.

I've thought on and off for a few months about how most movies wouldn't change much if the main character was female instead of male and then this happened. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

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><p>"Miss Potts."<p>

"Yes, JARVIS?"

"I would like to once again offer my concern regarding your current course of action."

Virginia "Pepper" Potts sighed. She never thought she'd say this but she actually sympathize with Tony for once in her life. Most of the time, she agreed with his Ai and even colluded with JARVIS every now and again to make sure Tony gets fed and watered regularly but to be on the receiving end of the AI's mothering is pretty daunting.

"Your concern is duly noted. But we have put this off for too long. I'm going in."

It took them 4 hours for JARVIS to offer up the plans for a prototype exoskeleton suit.

It took them another 2 weeks to manufacture the suit.

It took them a better part of the next month to find the right cave.

Tony Stark laughed when he saw her.

"This old thing?! I can make a better one!" He exclaimed before promptly passing out in her armored arms.

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><p>This chapter is brought to you by how much asskicking Zhu Li did on The Legend of Korra S04E05.<p>

Plotted everything in my head and banged it out in 2 hours so it's definitely no masterpiece.


	2. Betty Ross

Summary: Short "What if"s about what it'll be like if the ladies of each Phase One movie were the lead instead of their male counterparts.

I've thought on and off for a few months about how most movies wouldn't change much if the main character was female instead of male and then this happened. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

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><p>"D-Daddy?" she blinked as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross came into her line of sight, blocking the setting sun.<p>

"Oh thank God. You're alive. You're alive..." General Ross sobbed, cradling her like she was 8 again. The scratchy blanket wrapped around her rubbed against her uncomfortably.

"What happened?" she nudged her father away, taking in the destruction. The entire base was practically leveled. "Oh my God... Bruce! Where's Bruce?!"

Her father froze before slowly shaking his head.

She cried harder than the night her mother died.

She was sworn into secrecy by her father after showing her the last remaining footage of her rampage. So she could no longer thrown temper tantrums. She could deal with that. There were a few minor incidents in the weeks following but she felt she could keep a lid on things. Mostly.

General Ross had done all he could to bury the news and made her go back to work like nothing ever happened a month later.

She was surprised at the advancement on the research of gamma weaponry without Bruce. She was puzzled by the weird looks everyone cast her way but she was more puzzled by the way everyone seem to sidestep and deflect her whenever she mentioned Bruce.

Something's up.

She tried to bring the subject up with her father but he just began ranting about that lily-livered milksop and how she should forget about him and find another man, like that young man, Talbot.

She barely held onto her anger that night.

He was also spending a lot of time down at the basement in base after dinner. She tried to tail him a few nights later but one of his goons caught her. She was on her way back to her car when an explosion rocked the foundation of the base.

She abandoned her control and let her better half out to play.

She found her father collapsed face down around the corner of the explosion. A groan emitted from beneath her father's prone form alerted her to the presence of another person. She gently hoisted her father in fireman's carry before crouching down to help the other man.

The other man with a mop of unruly curly hair that was longer than the last time she saw him.

"B-Betty...?" Robert Bruce Banner was alive. Bruce was alive and wheezing before her. Bruce, who started pacing and tugging at his hair, who was working himself into a frenzy, was alive.

"No. That's not possible. I killed Betty. I killed Betty a month ago. Ross said I killed her in that explosion!" Bruce rounded on her. "What are you? What are you doing with her face?! Put him down and explain yourself!"

"Bruce..." she reached out with a hand but it was slapped away.

"No! You don't get to use her face! You can't-I can't... I can't... Not when I- No! Not my Betty!" he shoved at her but she was stronger now.

She was as strong as how Bruce always said she was. Maybe stronger.

"Bruce, stop." Despite the deepened pitch, something in her voice must have reminded him of the thousands of times she stopped him from spiraling down the rabbit hole.

"I am getting you out of here and I will explain everything. And *he* will explain everything." she jerked her head towards her father, slung over her shoulders. "I swear, Bruce. Please. Come with me."

They left General Ross at the local hospital instead.

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><p>This chapter is brought to you because Bruce Banner cannot have nice things. I swear I like him! A lot in fact! Sorry Bruce... *hugs*<p>

Plotted everything in my head and banged it out in 2 hours so it's definitely no masterpiece.


	3. Jane Foster

Summary: Short "What if"s about what it'll be like if the ladies of each Phase One movie were the lead instead of their male counterparts.

I've thought on and off for a few months about how most movies wouldn't change much if the main character was female instead of male and then this happened. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

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><p>"Come on! It's this way!" she shouted at Darcy as she tried to hold onto her laptop.<p>

"Of course it's this way! That giant thundercloud?! That lightning that is still striking the ground?! I'm not blind, Jane!" Darcy, snarky intern extraordinary yelled back at her as she pushed the rattling vehicle to its limit. She did not even make to a full stop before the door was flung open and Jane was out, running towards the smoldering char on the ground.

"Jane! Be careful! You don't know what is it." Erik Selvig warned as he hurried over with the rest of their equipment, trailing wires along the uncut grass.

"Yeah Jane. It's still smoking. Don't touch it!" Darcy yelled. "While you're at it, don't talk to strangers. And don't pass GO. Don't collect 200 dollars!"

Jane rolled her eyes at her obviously not an astrophysicist intern. But it is good advice.

She's not gonna touch that asteroid...?

That is not an asteroid.

That is a very hefty hammer.

"Why is there a hammer in the middle of a field?" Jane ignored Darcy in favor of double checking her coordinates. "Wait. It's not smoking anymore. Now it's all shiny! I think there's something written on the side."

Jane stepped forward to take a look but the grass was blocking some of the etchings. She reached down to pick it up and the rumbling of thunder started up again. Before she could start counting the seconds, a bright white light engulfed her, making her hair stand on ends. She felt bits of something attach themselves onto her arm and more inexplicably, she felt powerful. She let loose a roar and a belly laugh.

She was still giggling when Erik shook her shoulders roughly. Behind him, Darcy had both eyes and that ridiculous motor mouth of hers wide open.

And then it was Darcy's turn to laugh.

"I thought you'd become taller!"

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><p>This chapter is brought to you by how tall Natalie Portman is. Which is also how tall I am so I *am* one to judge.<p>

Plotted everything in my head and banged it out in 2 hours so it's definitely no masterpiece.


	4. Peggy Carter

Summary: Short "What if"s about what it'll be like if the ladies of each Phase One movie were the lead instead of their male counterparts.

I've thought on and off for a few months about how most movies wouldn't change much if the main character was female instead of male and then this happened. Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

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><p>The first time Peggy Carter stepped onto the parade square, she knew she had her work cut out for her.<p>

Those boys-because there was no way they were anything else-those boys must not have much experiences with women. Much less women who can kick their asses well into Sunday.

Not that she needed the help of Erskine's serum but she had to admit, it really helped her line of work a lot. She couldn't even begin to count the number of times the extra help bailed her out of a particularly tricky situation.

And now, the United States wanted a piece of the pie as well.

It was as if they forgot all about Schmidt and all the failures that followed after her. She gave a small shake of her head to clear that unpleasant image.

"Ma'am?" Steve Rogers, the runt of the litter, had his brows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

She smiled. "I'm alright. You best be on your way. Colonel Philips is on his way."

"Yes ma'am!" he snapped off a salute and ran off to fall in.

She was glad when they chose Steve Rogers for Project Rebirth. If anyone can do it, she was sure he was the one.

Erskine had dropped by earlier that night to explain what will happen to him and now it was her turn.

He was surprised when she sat him down and told him what happened after she rescued Erskine. What they did to her and a lot of other good people. How it felt during and after the procedure. What had changed and what had stayed the same.

Steve was so starstrucked, all he could say was, "But you're perfect!"

"I know. Now it's your turn."

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><p>End notes: This chapter is brought to you by how perfect Peggy Carter is. I hope she continues to kick ass without becoming someone else's love interest in her TV show.<p>

Plotted everything in my head and banged it out in 2 hours so it's definitely no masterpiece.


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